こしあん

noun

smooth sweet bean paste; strained red bean paste

1. smooth sweet bean paste; strained red bean paste

Sweet red bean paste (あんこ) that has been strained to remove the bean skins, resulting in a completely smooth, fine-textured paste.

こしあんの羊羹(ようかん)を買(か)った。

I bought yokan made with smooth bean paste.

こしあんは舌触(したざわ)りがなめらかだ。

Smooth bean paste has a silky texture.

こしあんを作(つく)るには、小豆(あずき)を煮(に)てから裏漉(うらご)しする必要(ひつよう)がある。

To make smooth bean paste, you need to boil azuki beans and then strain them.

The name comes from 漉(こ)す (to strain) + あん (sweet bean paste). Made by pressing cooked 小豆(あずき) beans through a sieve to remove the skins, then sweetening the resulting smooth paste.

Common collocations

こしあんの羊羹(ようかん): yokan with smooth bean paste
こしあんの饅頭(まんじゅう): manju with smooth bean paste
こしあんの最中(もなか): monaka with smooth bean paste
こしあんのたい焼(や)き: taiyaki with smooth bean paste

Similar words

粒(つぶ)あん: chunky bean paste — beans are only partially mashed, retaining texture
The こしあん vs 粒(つぶ)あん preference is a common conversation topic in Japan. Generally, こしあん is considered more refined and is preferred in many traditional 和菓子(わがし)

Alternate writing

Also written as 漉(こ)しあん or 漉(こ)し餡(あん).

Related words

あんこ: sweet bean paste (general term)
小豆(あずき): azuki beans
粒(つぶ)あん: chunky bean paste
白(しろ)あん: white bean paste (made from white beans)

Related Words

Compare: 粒(つぶ)あん (chunky bean paste)

Related: 餡子(あんこ) (sweet bean paste)

Related: 小豆(あずき) (azuki beans)

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Added 2026.3.31 1:13 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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